1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gaming machine with a common display device and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in gaming facilities in which gaming machines such as slot machines are installed, players can enjoy games by inserting a variety of gaming mediums such as coins and cashes. Each of the gaming machines is designed so as to pay out a payment according to a winning prize (game outcome) that takes place in the progress of a game.
In a casino in which a plurality of slot machines are installed, there is a so called “jackpot” from which, after part of the credit consumed in each of the slot machines has been reserved, if the amount of the reservation reaches a predetermined amount of money, a large amount of payout is made such that a payment is not paid out to any of the slot machines in an ordinary hit (see Published US Patent Application No. 2003/073486, for example). In such slot machines, in the ordinary case, a hit takes place at each of the set probabilities, and players conduct games while anticipating the hit. By means of lottery other than that of the ordinary hit, which is based upon each of the probabilities set in the slot machines, a jackpot hit will take place on any of the slot machines with a predetermined timing.
The conventional gaming machines include those in which, if a gaming medium loss reaches a predetermined amount, a return is given to players who are performing games. The gaming machines having such a return function are characterized in that a countdown effect is rendered by a predetermined period that took until the return is performed. These machines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,820,459 and 6,695,697, for example.
However, the countdown effect is rendered until the abovementioned return is given, according to the number of times of executing games, etc., in individual gaming machines. This countdown effect is rendered irrespective of other gaming machines. In the conventional gaming machines, therefore, there is no possibility of raising the players' spirit of rivalry such as a spirit of competing against one another for the number of times of executing games. Further, these gaming machines entail a problem insofar that the players gradually lose their interest or concern relevant to the play of games while they perform the games for a long time.
The present invention has been made in view of the aforementioned circumstance. It is an object of the invention to provide a gaming system and a control method of the gaming system which arouses the players' spirit of rivalry and continues their interest or concern relevant to the play of games.